26 THE STRAND MAGAZINT,

Shomar, vears after, learnt this, he gave the palace into the charge of an old crong, upon whose death the duty passcd into the hands of the oldest living female in her tribe—the same as that of the man concern- ing whose country you questioned me. Although this event happened, as you have been told, more than two thousand years ago, there is still an old crone who tulhls Shomar's command, and only opens the palace gate on receiving a certain signal, Sitting therc is Idaliah, still wearing the necklace of diamonds, which no Arab may touch, for Shomar, although dead, yct haunts the palace, and prays the maiden's pardon for his crime. His curse would blight the one of my race who touched the sparkling stones: will ve, then, dare to venture thither to obtain them z

Hassan rosc and stood before usas he finished the legend.

“ Do vou know this signal?’ 1 asked, endeavouring to speak calmly. The Arab answered in the allirmative, whercupon Frank remarked—

v 1 will believe that the lovers still occupy the palace, and that the diamonds arc there,

when L sce them ;" and he smiled at my

faith in the truth of the Avab’s story.

11

AT sunset we left our tent, and, following Hassan, journeved in the direction of Mctra. At last our guide stopped, and when we had joined him, he observed

“AVe are just about to enter the ravine, What plan is to be adopted in order that you may enter the palace we are cecking 7

“You sav that the gates are kept by one person only,” I rephied % surcly if they are opened upon your giving the signal, we should have no difficulty in passing into the palace.”

The sahib is mistaken,” responded Hassan, ‘“ for the gates arc solid stone, and move by touching a spring within. It will

be difficult for you: the crone will not suspect an Arab, but, on sceinge two men

of an unknown nation, she will have little confidence in vou.”

“Then,” interposed Irank, turning to me, “our plan is easily scttled. On arriv- ing at thesc stone gates, Hassan may olve the signal, and enter alone. He can learn from within the sceret of the hidden spring ; this done he must find some way to escape the crone's observation, and o let us into the palace.”

“The crone s exceedingly aged,” ~ard

THassan : “if once we are all within there should be no dilliculty in keeping her from doing harm ; but 1 would rather not remain in the palace while vou obtain the treasure.”

“Yet,” said Trank to me aside, * he has no objection to lead us to this place where the diamonds ave said to be! It 1s a strange scruple ; still, if he objects to remain with us,we will Teave him outside, where he may he useful as a guard should anyone learn that we are plundering the palace.”

We plunged through a densc thicket ; on emerging we observed that the ravine then began and sloped gently. Onowe went, our faith in Tlassan being strength- ened cach minute as we saw the wonderful padaces carved out of the solid rock, and standing almost unaffected apparently by the leneth of time that had clapsed. Casu- ally resting my hand for a moment upon onc of the chisclled doorways, I observed that it crumbled into dust as I did so. Hassan informed me that something which exhaled from the rock gave it an outward appearance of being hard and highly pol- ished, although in reality the substance was decomposed.

Passing along we at last reached a mag- nificent palace, and before it loomed oigantic marble gates. My hope that these were also decaved by age vanizhed, for, on ctriking onc of them with the hilt of my dagger, it gave forth a dull sound. W looked well to the condition of the pistols which were worn in our belts, and then motioned to ITassan to give the signal. Crouching behind a pillar, so that we could not be observed, we waited anxiously to sec what would be the result. The Arab had evidently learned the right signal to give, for suddenly the marble gates were raised like a portcullis, and a strange-looking being sercamed rather than said to him:

“ Can ye not let Shomar's queen reign over the dead onc in peace 7" She was 1n- deed aged 3 her form was nearly doubled, her eyes, like mall black beads, looked forth from a yellow shrunken face, while the hand which she raised almost threateningly at Hassan bore nails that scemed like the talons of some bird of prey.

“ T come from where once dwelt Shomar,” said the Arab, then he stooped forward, and whispered something to her. The crone allowed him to pass, and before we could cce more the gates fell instantancously nte their former position. It was fully ten minutes before theyv lifted again. In a sccond TFrank and 1 darted through the